SA denies Eassy setback

By Damaria Senne, ITWeb senior journalist

Johannesburg, 30 Aug 2006

Despite reports of infighting among participants in the East African Submarine Cable System (Eassy) project, South African government officials have denied the initiative has hit a snag.

Yesterday, only seven of the 23 eastern and southern African countries involved signed the policy protocol in Rwanda, fuelling speculation that the project was being held up by tensions between SA and Kenya over ownership issues, as well as the cost of access to the fibre optic network.

However, Department of Communications director-general Keith Shongwe says many countries did not sign the policy protocol due to non-attendance of the signing ceremony, and adds this did not mean they would not sign the protocol in due course.

"I do not share the sentiment that the signing of the protocol yesterday was a failure, as we, as the working group, knew in advance that some of the countries would not be able to attend the ceremony."

Shongwe says the signing ceremony was the first in a series of signing processes that will take place in the next three months.

He denies media reports of conflict between SA and Kenya, with the latter reportedly accusing SA of trying to dominate the process.

Rumours 'unfortunate`

"It is very unfortunate the process has been plagued by rumours of infighting, as the intergovernmental working group has been well-represented in meetings and is working very smoothly," he says.

Shongwe does note, however, that Kenya was expected to sign the protocol at the ceremony yesterday, and says he is unaware of the reason it did not participate.

The protocol commits the signatories to the construction and operation of the Eassy cable system and the associated terrestrial fibre optic system, explains Department of Communications spokesman Albi Modise.

The protocol further provides for the formation of a special purpose vehicle, a consortium made up of telecoms companies and other operators to own, manage and maintain the Eassy cable, as well as the terrestrial network, he says.

Modise explains the protocol requires the signatory governments modify their regulatory framework to accommodate the provisions, and countries work at different paces to fulfil this provision.

The challenge now is for those who have signed the protocol to work with and assist those who have not signed in order for them to come on board, communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri said at the signing yesterday.